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Walton, Wired and Unwired
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Wow, it sure got quiet around here quick.
After 10 years in the AHL, I don't think I've ever gotten used to the end of the season. With the exception of 2006 (and that was a very good exception), it's always a feeling of disappointment. Most of the players have already departed, and the rink crew in their usual efficiency has already removed the ice for the summer. Josef Boumedienne was in briefly this morning, and I had a chance to chat with Jason Morgan today before lunch. But for the most part, the boys of winter have headed for home.
There are two thoughts I had after Game 5 on Friday night. First, I thought the boys in Chocolate and White gave everything they had to give. They got through the uber-important first 10 minutes at Wachovia Arena. They got the first goal. They even tied the game briefly in the third period to try and force the Penguins back to GIANT Center Saturday night. Secondly, the Penguins were just the better team in the series. Period. Tim Brent and Chris Minard reminded me of Brooks Laich and Graham Mink and how determined they were two years ago. Brent, you may remember, was the same guy going into Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals against the Bears that didn't have one postseason goal. Then all he did was score the game-winner in both Game 5 and 6 to force a Game 7 back here. I'd say he picked up right where he left off. Minard was amazing, scoring from anywhere. Alex Goligoski is going to play in the NHL someday soon, he's got the skill to play at both ends of the rink. And goaltender John Curry, despite his rookie status and the occasional cracks in the foundation we saw late in the series, was good enough to win. It should be a very interesting East Division Final to watch.
For me, it's a week to clean up the office and a chance to get away for a bit. I'm heading to Cincinnati to get reacquainted with my family this weekend for 10 days, which I'm very much looking forward to. Should there be any developments during that time, I'll have the trusty laptop with me to throw them up as they warrant.
It was a good run, it just didn't end quite like we hoped.
Posted 04/28/2008 |
I'll have more later on as the office downshifts into the offseason, but with Andrew Gordon, Steve Pinizzotto, along with Grant and Patrick McNeill heading to South Carolina for the remainder of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Stingrays might have just become the odds on favorite to win a championship this year. Here's Joe Shetrom's report from North Charleston as the Rays continue their march to glory. Go get 'em guys!
"The train keeps on rolling for the South Carolina Stingrays, who advanced to the South Division Finals this past week following a decisive Game 5 victory over the Gwinnett Gladiators.
After building a 2-0 lead in their best-of-series with Gwinnett, the Rays looked to complete a three-game sweep of the Glads last Monday in the Peach State. The Gladiators, however, had different plans, and it didn’t include the Rays winning on their ice. Over the last few years South Carolina has had their share of problems in Gwinnett, much like the Bears used to have when venturing to Philadelphia. The Stingrays had gone 10 straight games without a victory at The Arena at Gwinnett Center prior to a 2-1 win on March 14, a span that covered nearly two years.
Following a scoreless 1st period, Gwinnett tallied the game’s first goal at 16:06 of the 2nd. A little over a minute later, though, Travis Morin answered for South Carolina, potting a power-play goal at 17:21. The Gladiators took over in the 3rd, collecting a trio of markers en route to a 4-1 victory. Josh Johnson stood tall in net for the Rays, stopping 44 of 48 shots faced.
The next evening brought a similar result for South Carolina: a three-goal loss to the Glads. After neither team could hit paydirt in the 1st, Gwinnett struck for three goals in the 2nd, with defenseman Jamie Milam(younger brother of former Bears blueliner Troy) registering the game-winner in a 3-0 Gwinnett win. It was the Rays’ first shutout loss since January 19, 2007, a streak of 115 regular season and playoff contests.
With the series shifting back to North Charleston for a pivotal Game 5, the Stingrays looked to give the home crowd another victory on home ice. One of the unlikeliest players to score a game-winning goal, Matt Scherer did just that, sending a right-side shot that deflected off Gwinnett goaltender Craig Kowalski’s glove and into the net at 2:53 of the 1st period. Morin added an insurance marker – a power-play goal – at the 11-minute mark of the 2nd, and Davis Parley withstood a barrage of shots in the 3rd to claim a 2-0 shutout. The win clinched the series for South Carolina, who then had to wait 48 hours to find out their opponent in the South Division Finals. As it turned out, the 5th-seeded Columbia Inferno, doing their best David versus Goliath impersonation, downed the number one-seeded Texas Wildcatters 4-1 Friday night in the Lone Star State to move on and face the Rays.
With three full days of rest, and the return of Grant McNeill and Steve Pinizzotto to the lineup, South Carolina kicked off the division finals against their Palmetto State rival last night at the Coliseum. After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, Marty Guerin drew first blood for the home team, slipping a shot past Columbia goaltender Todd Ford at 4:41 of the 2nd. His sixth goal of the postseason – a power-play tally – tied him with Morin for the team lead. The road-weary Inferno would immediately respond, though, with Daniel Sparre scoring the equalizer less than a minute later at 5:34. Pinizzotto, who played a physical game at both ends in his first game back for SC, netted the game-winner 91 seconds into the 3rd, picking up a rebound in the slot and firing a shot past Ford. The RIT alum is the sixth different player this spring to record a game-winning goal for the Stingrays, who improved to 7-0 at home this year in the playoffs. Parley turned in a 21-save effort for his fourth win of the postseason.
Game 2 is set for tomorrow night at 7:05 at the North Charleston Coliseum, with the series shifting to Columbia Friday and, if necessary, Saturday night."
Posted 04/28/2008 |
A lot of you by now know that the Philadelphia Phantoms and the Albany River Rats played the longest game in AHL history Thursday night. A five-hour and 39 minute marathon that went until after 12:30 this morning and went to five overtimes. What you may not know is that the referee for last night's saga was Frederic L'Ecuyer. This is significant, because guess who is slated to work tonight's Game 5 in Wilkes-Barre? Yep, the same Frederic L'Ecuyer.
I exchanged e-mails with Jason Chaimovitch, the Vice President of Communications for the AHL. After doing some checking, he reported back that as of 12:30 this afternoon, L'Ecuyer is still working the game this evening. It's roughly a three-hour ride from Albany to Wilkes-Barre, so it's not like he couldn't get eight hours of sleep and still have plenty of time to get there. It's just after skating for the better part of six hours straight last night, he'll probably need all the Gatorade he can find for tonight's festivities. Sometimes it's not just the players that are giving all they have during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Posted 04/25/2008 |
The Penguins are saying on their website that "plenty" of tickets remain for Friday's Game 5 at Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre. Should you or anyone you know be interested in attending, I thought I'd pass along the ticket information.
Wilkes-Barre's box office number at Wachovia Arena:
(570)208-7367
Or you can call Ticketmaster up there if you prefer(don't believe it makes a difference, but this was the info I was given)
(570) 693-4100
I've gotten questions today via e-mail about Karl Alzner, last year's number one pick of the Caps. Alzner's season ended this week with the Calgary Hitmen, and Washington wanted him to play for the Bears this evening. Only one problem. He's down with a flu bug and won't be able to make the game tonight. A bad break, because it looked like he would be joining the team later today.
Posted 04/25/2008 |
The Bears will have a familiar face in the lineup Wednesday night as the club tries to stave off elimination in the East Division Semi-Finals. Eric Fehr, the only eligible player available to come down from the Washington Capitals to play in the Calder Cup Playoffs, will be in uniform for Hershey for Game 4. Fehr played a lot of minutes the last two nights for the Caps in Game 6 and Game 7, but his mere presence could serve as a motivator as the Chocolate and White try to break the goose egg in the series Wednesday.
I was crushed to see Washington lose the way they did Tuesday night, but the best is still yet to come for the Red, White and Blue. No doubt in my mind about that. It may not be much of a comfort now, but someday soon, the Capitals will playing for a Stanley Cup. No question in my mind about that. Congratulations on an outstanding season, and with Bruce Boudreau at the helm and all the former Hershey skaters on the roster, there are many exciting times just around the corner.
Posted 04/23/2008 |
With Hershey's playoff hopes on life support heading into Wednesday night, the news is much brighter down south for the Chocolate and White's ECHL affiliate. Joe Shetrom reports from North Charleston:
"What a difference a week makes. At this time last Monday the Stingrays were facing a possible early exit from the ECHL postseason, down 2-0 in their best-of-five series with the Augusta Lynx. Seven days later, however, South Carolina is one win away from punching their ticket to the South Division Finals, after taking three straight games at home against Augusta and downing the Gwinnett Gladiators in the first two contests of their second round series.
Looking to avoid a three-game sweep in their first round series versus Augusta last Monday at the North Charleston Coliseum, the Stingrays took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission on Marty Guerin and Chris Chaput’s even strength goals. After the Lynx knotted the contest at 2-2 midway through the 2nd period, the next goal wouldn’t come until sudden death, when Stephen Werner potted the game-winner at 5:31. Josh Johnson, making his first career playoff start in goal, stopped 34 of 36 shots for SC. The win gave the Rays a much-needed boost of momentum that would continue over the next 48 hours.
The following evening South Carolina looked to square the series at 2-2, but the home team found themselves down 2-1 early in the 2nd. It wasn’t until near the halfway point of the 3rd, when Guerin’s second of the game tied the contest. Over 34 minutes of game action elapsed before the next goal was scored, and once again it was the Stingrays coming out on top, taking Game 4 on Trent Campbell’s double-overtime marker.
Playing their third home contest in as many nights on Wednesday, the Rays looked to complete the improbable: going 3-0 this spring when facing elimination. Werner paced South Carolina with a pair of goals – one short-handed and one power play – to give the Rays a 2-0 advantage through 40 minutes. Following an Augusta tally early in the 3rd, Campbell sealed the contest and the series with an empty-netter in the last minute of regulation, sending the Rays to a second round matchup with Gwinnett.
With just one full day of rest, South Carolina locked horns with a well-rested Gladiators club in Game 1 of the South Division Semifinals Friday evening at the Coliseum. Gwinnett drew first blood at 2:39 of the 1st, but Travis Morin answered exactly one minute later with his second of the playoffs. The Glads reclaimed the lead on a power play strike at 6:21 of the 2nd, but Pierre-Luc O’Brien’s even strength marker just over five minutes later knotted the contest at deuces and began a string of four unanswered goals for SC. Morin’s second of the night –the eventual game-winner – served as a backbreaker for Gwinnett, coming with two-tenths of a second remaining in the 2nd. Chaput and Guerin added insurance markers in the 3rd period as the Rays collected their first-ever playoff victory against Gwinnett, 5-2, and assumed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Davis Parley, in net for the first time since Game 2 of the Augusta series, finished with 26 saves for his first win of the postseason.
Saturday night Jared Bednar’s club looked to make it five straight victories on home ice, and take a 2-0 series advantage. Just as the previous night, though, Gwinnett jumped out to a 1-0 lead, with Guillaume Desbiens lighting the lamp only 26 ticks into the opening frame. Eleven minutes later Todd Griffith, a scratch in three of the previous six games,erased the Gladiators’ lead with his first goal of the playoffs. Gwinnett tallied a short-handed marker five minutes into the 2nd to take a 2-1 lead, but Chaput’s power play goal just over a minute later evened the score. Campbell elevated the Rays to a 3-2 edge before Matt Anderson’s second of the night 70 seconds into the 3rd knotted the game. On the man advantage, Morin staked South Carolina with a 4-3 lead, collecting his fourth of the postseason at 7:49. The Gladiators wouldn’t budge, however, as Tomas Pospisil capitalized on a turnover in the Stingrays’ zone and scored the equalizer at 15:35 of the 3rd. Defenseman Nate Kiser, known more for his pugilistic abilities than his scoring prowess, redeemed himself for the gaffe that led to Gwinnett’s fourth goal, firing a right point shot past Gladiators All-Star goaltender Craig Kowalski at the 8:06 mark of sudden death. The OT winner – Kiser’s first goal of the playoffs – lifted the Stingrays to a 2-0 series lead.
The series now shifts to the Peach State, where South Carolina can close out the second round with a victory tonight at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Game 4, if necessary, will take place tomorrow evening in Gwinnett while Game 5, if needed, will be back in North Charleston Wednesday night."
Posted 04/21/2008 |
A streak that may never be equaled will end Sunday in Wilkes-Barre. Daren Machesney will draw the start in goal for Game 3, which means Frederic Cassivi's streak of 42 consecutive playoff games for Hershey will end. We may never see a two-year run from an American Hockey League goaltender like that again. Consider this. 42 straight playoff starts. An even more amazing 29 wins in just two postseasons, winning 16 in 2006 and 13 more in 2007. Carey Price, the only goaltender in two seasons to defeat Freddy, offers up the biggest reason why we may never see such a streak again. When you have that much success at the AHL level, you're likely to be in the NHL the following season. Price won the Cup, then went to Montreal. It's a truly amazing feat, and one that should be recognized for what it is. A two-year run that Bears fans, and American Hockey League fans will likely never see again.
I feel a sense of pride that I was able to witness Freddy's heroics first-hand. I hope that others feel the same way. For the record, Machesney will forever have at least one tie to former Hershey goaltender Phil Sauve. Sauve was the last goaltender before today to start a game for the Bears before Freddy's streak began. The former Avalanche prospect lost Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Allstate Arena in Chicago on April 22, 2003. That's two days short of five years since another Bears backstop played in a postseason game instead of number 35.
Posted 04/20/2008 |
For those that check out this blog for newsy notes and such, I want to bring your attention to another that might give you the perspective from the other side of the fence in this series. Jonathan Bombulie, sportswriter from the Citizens' Voice newspaper in the WB-Scranton megaplex, does a great job of keeping up with Pens notes and such. If you're not aware of it, the link is provided to you here at no extra charge emedia.citizensvoice.com Jonathan has covered the Pens dating back to the Tom Grace bringing hockey to the masses days of 1999.
There seems to be at least half a chance that Chris Minard won't play in Game 2 Saturday. I have to say, I was stunned he even returned for overtime, let alone scored the game-winner. The way he left the ice, it looked like he was going to be done for a while. Word I had from downstairs after the game was that it was a nerve problem that was massaged out, but it sure looked a lot worse than something like that. If he's out for any length of time, or if he plays but isn't 100 percent, that certainly works in Hershey's favor.
Crushing defeat Thursday night for Washington. I watched every minute of the game, and maybe for the first time in the series the Caps outplayed the guys from south Philly, but in the end the scoreboard has the final say. Not that it's a comfort for Caps fans today, but Eric Fehr would be ticketed for Chocolatetown if Washington can't rally for three in a row starting Saturday afternoon.
Posted 04/18/2008 |
It will be Frederic Cassivi between the pipes this evening as the BEARS host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 1 of the East Division Semi-Finals. Much like two years ago in the first round against Norfolk, the series will open with Game 1 here at home, and then travel to the visiting rink for the next two. To me, it puts a lot of pressure on the home team tonight, but survive Game 1 with a victory, and the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of the Penguins. With a victory this evening, the Bears would in reality just need to take one of two this weekend at Wachovia Arena to return to Hershey with a two games to one lead. Home ice would be in favor of the Chocolate and White. Defend home ice in Game 4 and 6, and you're onto the next round. Lose tonight, and stumble this weekend, and the reverse could be true. Every game is big in a seven-game playoff series, but getting a lead in the series is paramount for the Bears.
I'm going to refrain from giving scratches here in the playoffs, because I wouldn't want to be the one to tip our hand to the visiting team, but I can tell you that Bob Woods told me this morning not to expect Scott Barney or Dean Arsene in this round. Deano will be joining me on radio tonight to give his perspective on the evening's events.
Posted 04/16/2008 |
Some Stingray to chew on as we await Hershey's Game 1 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with our man on the scene, Joe Shetrom...
"The South Carolina Stingrays find themselves down two games to none in their best-of-five playoff series with the Augusta Lynx, after dropping a pair of contests this past week on the road.
Seeing their first postseason action in two years, the Stingrays wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Paul McIlveen tallying an even strength goal 50 seconds into the 1st stanza. The lead wouldn’t last,though, as the Lynx exploded for three unanswered markers during the latter half of the opening period. Sean Collins, with an assist from Sasha Pokulok, cut Augusta’s lead to 3-2 five minutes into the 2nd, but the Lynx responded with two more strikes to cinch Game 1 with a 5-2 victory.
Saturday night the Rays looked to knot the series, but were handed some sad news prior to opening face-off. Jerry Zucker, one of the Stingrays’ owners, passed away earlier in the day following a battle with cancer. Jared Bednar’s club jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st period, as Stephen Werner potted his first career postseason goal at 10:05. It was Werner’s first game in a Stingrays jersey since December, when he was summoned to the Bears. After Marty Guerin and Travis Morin staked South Carolina with a 3-1 advantage, Augusta registered two straight markers to force sudden death. There, Bobby Bolt sealed the come-from-behind win, beating Davis Parley 7:19 into overtime.
The South Division Quarterfinals resume this evening, as the Stingrays look to stave off elimination with a 7:05 p.m. face-off against the Lynx at the North Charleston Coliseum. South Carolina, who produced 25 home victories during the regular season, has the luxury of hosting the final three games of the series."
Posted 04/15/2008 |
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